Tour of California Stage 6: Palmdale - Big Bear Lake (217.7km)

[theyoungest]

Why are the stage results and overall presented in French? Etape?

Didn't you notice the "tete de la course" and the "poursuivants"?

 

[Moondance]

All he does is win group sprints of 25/30 men of semi-climbers.
The only thing special is the sprint after a tiring stage.

It's a weapon.

What?!? The kid is obviously a stoner... That's what I was talking about

 

[Publicus]

Didn't you notice the "tete de la course" and the "poursuivants"?

I did, but then it didn't really enter my mind since I watch a lot of cycling in foreign languages. This is a US based race, broadcast on an English-speaking channel (Versus), so that struck me (albeit in hindsight) as odd.

 

[jonjungel]

"tomorrow is the most important time trial of his career" said by sherwen about Mick Rogers....

Obvious lies in the hopes of pleasing sponsors and attracting new casual fans. I don't think it helps cycling in the long run.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Isn't TOC just a great race? With all the hype over big bear, personally it was dissapointing. I found wilunga at tdu far more exciting. You don't have to have big long climbs to have descisive, exciting racing.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, I'm sure a three-time world ITT champ who was 3rd going into a race-defining super-challenging ITT in the Giro last year is absolutely kept awake at night by the stress of the ToC ITT.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

It was probably my own fault, but this stage certainly didn't live up to my expectations. A bit surprised to see HTC control a mountain stage the same way they control a sprint stage, but Tony Martin was amazing. No surprise that Sagan wins when it all comes down to a sprint.

I think it's Rogers' race to lose now, he has been in excellent TT form this season.

 

[craig1985]

Didn't you notice the "tete de la course" and the "poursuivants"?

I believe the crew that film the Tour de France are over in California and are filming the race. But yeah, it seems odd that would use 'tete de la course', you and I know what it means, but a casual viewer, or somebody new to the sport would have NFI what it means.

 

[usedtobefast]

we have a house at Big Bear, was there a bike race there today?
oh yeah, i forgot, there is.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Isn't TOC just a great race? With all the hype over big bear, personally it was dissapointing. I found wilunga at tdu far more exciting. You don't have to have big long climbs to have descisive, exciting racing.

Willunga and Big Bear are polar opposites. Willunga was short but very steep in a sprinters' race; Big Bear is an incredibly long drag, but not as selective as most super long drag climbs. I made the comparison to Torre because that's nearly 30km at an average of about 5%, but that has steeper sections, mini-descents and wide roads. But then again, some of the riders who race up Torre are pure climbers, and the riders that got away on Willunga are more pure climbers than most of the bunch on Big Bear - Evans and Valverde are going to be around in the mountains of the REAL top dozen stage races in the world a lot longer than Dave Zabriskie.

I think the way you react to that stage depends on how you wanted to feel about it before the race, though. We all moaned when the parcours was released about the faux-MTF. Either you saw some pretty good racing on a long uphill drag that led to a reduced sprint after a somewhat too long down period, or you saw the worst mountaintop finish ever. It's up to you to decide what your expectations and desires were. Personally, I quite enjoyed the stage but then again, I knew that the organisers were never going to be able to offer what they were trying to sell me, and I lowered my expectations accordingly.

 

[benpounder]

So it looks like the climbing is over without any real gaps being formed. Great way to make sure that most of the race doesn't matter and whoever takes the TT wins.

Unless Levi beats DaveZ by 9 seconds and Michael Rodgers by 14 seconds.

 

[jonjungel]

we have a house at Big Bear, was there a bike race there today?
oh yeah, i forgot, there is.

It looked like a nice place, must say.

I had hoped for the climb to be a bit more selective, though. Just like last year, the GC will be decided by the TT and the Bonny Doon climb.

 

[Sasquatch]

LOL

TDU is a mickey mouse crap race compared to the Tour of California.

 

[karlboss]

LOL

TDU is a mickey mouse crap race compared to the Tour of California.

based on what? apples and oranges my friend.

 

[jonjungel]

LOL

TDU is a mickey mouse crap race compared to the Tour of California.

The entertainment value of the Willunga stage was higher than this one, IMO. Though both races could use some improvement in that regard.

 

[karlboss]

The entertainment value of the Willunga stage was higher than this one, IMO. Though both races could use some improvement in that regard.

I don't think TDU will ever provide much more excitement than Wilunga, if it did it would be too tough to attract riders who want early season racing miles.

 

[Dedelou]

From this side of the pond.

The problem with hype meant to promote a race is that it often ends up disappointing. I had fun watching today's stage because It reminds me why i love riding in California. From the point of view of a Race , I am so glad we have it. From the point of view of Racing in Mid-May , the climbing it is quite shy of being a challenge. These California Climbs are long like a day without bread but never provide much of a demanding rise. I think they used Bulldozers to make them and they miss the terrain irregularities you find in the old world where the roads has funny inclines. ( I am not sure i describe what i experienced there , comparing to the old roads of France , Spain or the Dolomite. Make me wonder if Andy and a few others are not getting a well remunerated "spring break " a la USA. I hope for them that like so many kids I have seen i in Cancun feasting, they don't end up paying a heavy price when the "finals come.
In any case TOC was a great plug for vacationing in California. Is the Discovery channel a co-sponsor? Good thing we have tomorrow's stage in the Giro to give us some excitement. ( i am a liar, I end up glued to the computer and watching both)

 

[auscyclefan94]

LOL

TDU is a mickey mouse crap race compared to the Tour of California.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wilunga itself was far more entertaining that Toc has been so far. TDU is an early season race whereas ToC now is a mid season race and was originally later in the season.

 

[auscyclefan94]

LOL

TDU is a mickey mouse crap race compared to the Tour of California.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wilunga itself was far more entertaining that Toc has been so far. TDU is an early season race whereas ToC now is a mid season race and was originally later in the season.

 

[amp300]

Obvious lies in the hopes of pleasing sponsors and attracting new casual fans. I don't think it helps cycling in the long run.

Honestly I think this is pretty baseline for sherwen


So I was at today's stage's finish and on the bonny dune climb on Tuesday, and had a blast at both stages from a spectator standpoint. I haven't seen any TV coverage, so all I know is what I have been reading. Big bear is a big climb, but as some have said, really hard to compare to other climbs. Even if you climbed in the other direction, you still have 5 miles of flat before you hit town.

Personally, I quite enjoyed the stage but then again, I knew that the organizers were never going to be able to offer what they were trying to sell me, and I lowered my expectations accordingly.

I agree with this, I think every professional promoter wants to have the next tour or roubaix on their hands, so they try to build it up to one word status. It isn't going to happen quickly. Unfortunately in this day and age, it is all about the money and sponsorship exposure, so they are trying to get big, fast.

 

[High Cotton]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wilunga itself was far more entertaining that Toc has been so far. TDU is an early season race whereas ToC now is a mid season race and was originally later in the season.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Aussie things Aussie race is more entertaining. Surprise, surprise.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[auscyclefan94]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Aussie things Aussie race is more entertaining. Surprise, surprise.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ok but for a race in may, with the field it has it should be a lot more entertaining than it is. Tdu, a race in january is around the same excitement level as this. It's pathetic and puttin against the giro is a stupid idea and I think the scheduling of races during the season is totally messed up.

 

[Ferminal]

Seems all the tougher climbs were at the start, before the coverage started.

 

[usedtobefast]

It looked like a nice place, must say.

I had hoped for the climb to be a bit more selective, though. Just like last year, the GC will be decided by the TT and the Bonny Doon climb.

Big Bear is beautiful,no worries. year round it is a place to be. the finishing
circuit however,while at altitude, is just too easy around the lake. too much
space to regroup. not any hard climbs once you get to the lake. oh well.
good for the economy,so that works.
plus it seems to me a bunch of guys are just on a California vacation/training ride.boring.

 

[liftman]

I watched at the 7000 ft level just past Snow Valley, being very familiar with the roads I think that they should have either finished at Lakeview Point and removed that last 10ish miles or continued to Onyx summit. That would have been a beast of a way to finish the day.